


Not Another Cinderella Story

by GraySonOfGotham



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Birthday Party, Butler Dick, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Dancing, Dick Grayson is Not Adopted, Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fluff, Identity Porn, M/M, Masks, Same age Dick and Jason, no capes AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-29 03:14:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20789672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GraySonOfGotham/pseuds/GraySonOfGotham
Summary: Dick Grayson works as a butler at Wayne Manor, where he grew up but not as Bruce Wayne's son. He grows up watching galas and parties, and he just wants to attend one of those parties.It just so happens that for Jason Todd's twenty-first birthday, there is going to be a masquerade ball...





	Not Another Cinderella Story

**Fourteen Years Ago**

“Rosa, this is Dick Grayson. He’s an orphan.”

“Oh, dear,” Rosa whispered to herself as she stared at the wide-eyed boy standing behind Alfred. “How- How _old _is he?”

Alfred looked down expectantly at the small boy, dressed in raggedly clothes and was still shivering slightly despite having got a cup of cocoa a few minutes ago. “Twelve,” he said, his voice barely a whisper.

“Twelve,” Rosa repeated to herself in sympathy. She shook her head. She herself had been an orphan, but she had been fifteen, and it had been so long ago that she barely remembered it.

“I would like you to take care of him, Rosa,” Alfred said. “But keep him out of sight. He’s not here, understand?”

Rosa nodded. “Yes, Mr. Pennyworth,” she said with resolution.

Alfred nodded. Then, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving young Dick Grayson with Rosa.

“Hi, Dick,” Rosa said with a smile. “My name’s Rosa. I’m the head cook here at Wayne Manor,” she said.

Dick stared at her wordlessly.

But Rosa was confident that she could get through to him. One day at a time.

~

**Seven Years Ago**

“Dick, there’s a crate of potatoes down in the cellar. Will you be a dear and grab them for me?” Rosa asked. “I am getting too old to be carrying crates,” she laughed.

Dick smiled. “Of course, Ro,” he said. “Let me just set these towels down in the laundry room,” he said, gesturing to the armload of dirty towels he had. He started to leave, but then he paused. “And you're far from old, Ro. But why are the potatoes in the cellar?” he asked quizzically.

Rosa huffed. “It's new cook Mr. Pennyworth hired. He put them down there for some reason that is beyond me. He is beyond incompetent,” she complained. “I asked him to go pick up star anise, and he comes back _four hours later _only to tell me he ran halfway across town to find it! Then he hands me a star fruit!”

Dick laughed. “Why was he hired again?”

“Because we’re short staffed, and with the annual Thanksgiving gala coming up-” she sighed again and tucked a stray strand of gray hair behind her ear. “Anyway,” she said. “Potatoes, if you please.”

Dick grinned at her. “Of course, Rosa.”

He took the old servants’ corridors as a short cut. He stepped out from behind a bookcase in the library, glancing around before slipping out into the main hallway, heading for the laundry.

Out of nowhere, something came whizzing by, right in front of him. Dick gasped and stepped back, clutching his towels. His eyes widened when he saw the sharp-tipped arrow lodged in the wall to his right.

Dick’s eyes shot up to where the arrow had come from. A young boy scowled down at him from on top of the top of the curtains.

“Watch where you’re going!” the boy shouted at him.

Dick felt his pounding heart slowly calm down. He frowned up at the crossbow in the boy’s hands. “Master Damian,” he said with a long suffering tone. “You’re really going to hurt someone with that someday.”

The boy scoffed. “Tt, I can shoot this with my eyes closed. I don’t need _your _advice. You’re just some nameless butler.” He slid down the curtains with just his legs. On the ground, the small teen barely reached Dick’s shoulders, and Dick was not very tall to begin with.

“Shooting with your eyes closed may be the reason you hurt somebody, Master Damian,” Dick said through gritted teeth.

Damian rolled his eyes and snatched the arrow out of the wall, tearing part of the wallpaper along with it. “Mind your own business butler, or I’ll tell Alfred about your misdemeanors.”

“Misdemeanors?!” Dick sputtered in disbelief. “I’ve done nothing wrong!”

The teen turned his nose up at Dick. “Humph. Of course you have. You’re loitering in the hallways, you’re sneaking around in the old servants’ corridors, scolding the heir of this manor, and you’re probably _hiding _something in those towels.”

“You’re not the heir of the Manor,” Dick said. “Master Jason is.”

“He’s not even Father’s real son!” Damian spat viciously. “And you’re just changing the subject. What are you hiding in those towels?”

Dick’s eyebrows quickly shot up. He had obviously hit a sore spot for Damian. Dick rarely got a chance to talk to any of the Wayne kids. He was usually so busy with work around the Manor that he only saw them in passing, exchanged a few words here and there.

Dick had started helping out with small things a few weeks after coming to the Manor. He followed Rosa around all day, helping her with stuff. After he turned fifteen, Rosa allowed him to take up more chores from outside the kitchen, under the eye of a few of her friends.

For a few years, Dick was the only child in the Manor as far as he knew. There were many young butlers and maids, but no one his age. Dick often wondered why the staff severely outnumbered the residents of Wayne Manor. At the time, it was just Bruce Wayne living there, and even then, he was travelling so much that he was rarely home. Until Jason was adopted, Dick only had Rosa for company.

Dick thought that he could finally have a friend, but Rosa quickly warned him away from Jason. He was not allowed to associate with Jason. No one gave him a reason for it, but Dick knew he would be punished if he did break that rule. And picturing the worst case scenario, Dick decided that befriending the new boy was not worth it.

And soon after, Dick was officially hired and trained to work as a butler. He occasionally saw Jason in the halls, but never said a word to the younger boy. When Dick was eighteen, Tim Drake arrived. And just earlier that year, Damian Wayne showed up out of the blue.

And though Dick had never spoken to many teenagers, he is pretty certain Damian is a spoiled brat. But of course, it is not his place to tell him so.

Dick sighed. “They really are just towels. I was taking them to the laundry room.”

“Yeah, right,” the teen scoffed. “I’m going to go find Alfred. Let’s see how mouthy you are when your job is on the line.”

With that, Damian stomped off. Dick was not sure how serious Damian’s threat was, but if he was told on, he had a pretty solid story. Besides, Dick had been at the Manor longer than Damian had. Surely that had to account for something.

Dick quickly hurried to the laundry room, dropped off the dirty towels, and moved into the cellar to grab the crate of potatoes.

“What took you so long?” Rosa asked when Dick set the crate down in the kitchen.

Dick sighed and shook his head. “Ran into some trouble in the form of Damian Wayne.”

“Oh no,” Rosa said. “I hope you didn’t antagonize him.”

Dick grimaced. Rosa was not impressed. “Maybe you should feign sickness and just rest for the remainder of the day,” she said in a hushed voice. “Then, if Mr. Pennyworth comes searching for you, I’ll just say you’re sick, and he’ll drop it.”

Dick shook his head. “I can’t run from my problems, Ro. It’s alright. I didn’t do anything wrong, and Mr. Pennyworth is a pretty reasonable man.”

Rosa pursed her lips. “But he also has a soft spot for those kids.” She put her hands on Dick’s shoulders. “You’re so tall now,” she said. “Old enough to be out in the world on your own. Yet you’re still here. Why’s that again, Dick?”

Dick smiled. “Oh, Rosa,” he said. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving here. I have you, and you’ve been like a mother to me. I’m happy here.”

Rosa smiled sadly. “But for how much longer?” She did not give him a chance to answer. “Oh, I baked fresh cookies. Take a couple before you go, Dick.”

She turned around and grabbed a couple of warm cookies from the plate on the counter. She wrapped them in a napkin and shoved it into Dick’s hands.

“Thank you, Rosa,” Dick said, breathing in the sweet scent of the cookies. “I’m off to the gardens now. Marcus said he needed help weeding.”

“Oh, alright,” Rosa said. “Make sure to wear a hat or sunscreen!” she called after him.

Dick ate a cookie as he headed towards the gardens, taking the longer route along the West Wing. The other, he wrapped carefully into the napkin. Then, he glanced up and down the hall quickly, checking the tops of the curtains.

After a second, he knocked on the bedroom door in front of him. There was no answer, as Dick had expected.

It was Jason’s room, and Jason was out with friends at the moment. Dick saw him leave a couple of hours ago. Dick cracked the door open, glanced to make sure he was right about the room being empty.

Then, Dick set the cookie down on the table by the door.

He left for the gardens with a smile.

~

**Five Years Ago**

Dick stood behind the designer, holding several thick bolts of dark colored cloth in his arms. His eyes darted quickly between Jason and Bruce as they exchanged jabs like a tennis match.

“I never said I wanted all of Gotham to come to my birthday party, Bruce!” Jason snapped, his arms held out on either sides of him as the designer took his chest measurements. “I didn’t say I wanted a birthday party at all!”

“You’re turning twenty-one, Jason,” Bruce grunted front his seat a few feet away. “You’ll be an adult. People will expect more from you.”

“I don’t care,” Jason grumbled, finally allowed to lower his arms.

“I’ll let you take that trip with your friends,” Bruce said, glancing at Jason with a raised eyebrow. “Private jet and all.”

Jason gave Bruce a half-hearted glare.

“It’s just a party, Jason,” Bruce said. “You’ve done parties before. You’ll be fine.”

Jason huffed. “Yeah,” he said. “But I don’t like it. I hate talking with boring people who only want to talk to me because I’m _your _son.”

Bruce hummed. “How about a masquerade ball? Then people won’t know it’s you, and you won’t know who you’re talking to.”

Jason considered it while the designer wrapped his measuring tape around Jason’s bare thigh. “Fine,” he agreed. “A masquerade ball then.”

Bruce gave him half a smile. “Good. Glad we can agree.”

The designer finished with Jason’s legs and set his tape aside. Then, he walked over to Dick and took the bolts of cloth. Dick was glad to be able to let go and discreetly stretch.

The designer held up the cloths against Jason’s torso, and Dick’s eyes could not help but roam over the young man’s toned body. He quickly looked away with a slight blush when he caught himself.

“Do the dark grey one,” Bruce said, nodding at the cloths in designer’s hands. The man nodded and started to set the other colors down.

Jason frowned. “I like the burgundy one though,” he said. “I already have a few grey suits.”

The designer glanced at him, pausing for a second. “Mister Wayne is right,” he said. “The dark grey is much more flattering on you-”

“But I like the red one. Isn’t it _my_ birthday?” Jason asked, glaring at Bruce.

“I’m paying for your suit, Jason.”

“I can buy it myself if money is the issue,” Jason said.

Bruce sighed. “Money isn’t the issue. Jason, _please_.”

“Hey, you.”

Dick’s eyes snapped back up when he realized that he was being addressed. “Dark grey or burgundy?” Jason asked.

Dick’s eyes darted between the two colors. “I think the burgundy one is quite nice,” Dick admitted. And he was being truthful, not just because he wanted to agree with Jason.

Jason gave him a small smile. “Thank you,” he said. “See? Burgundy.”

Bruce waved his hand. “Fine,” he said. “You’re right. You’ll have other grey suits if you decide you don’t like the burgundy one.”

“I’ll like it,” Jason said.

Later, when Dick left the room, Jason sent him a wink and a mouthed _thank you_.

~

“Coming through, flowers!” a maid shouted as she passed on Dick’s right, carrying a vase of flowers bigger than her torso and head combined. Dick pressed himself alongside the wall, narrowly avoiding the collision.

The Manor was a flurry of activity, prepping for Jason Todd’s twenty-first birthday party. There would be up to four hundred people at the party. It had been five hundred, but Jason had managed to argue it down a bit.

Still, it was a huge party.

Dick’s job for the night was to make runs between the kitchen and the ballroom, transporting food.

Rosa had been working her ass off all day, as well as the night before, making enough to feed all the party guests. Dick had also sneaked a glance at the cake, which was an awe-inspiring five tiers of red velvet cake, to match Jason’s suit, Dick supposed.

Dick followed a couple other butlers into the wine cellar to pull up the bottles of expensive wine, having been imported from Italy months ago in preparation for the party. Sparkling apple cider was also provided for those who were not allowed to drink yet.

An hour before the party guests started arriving, Rosa pulled Dick aside. “Go to my room,” she whispered. “You’ll find a present for you.”

Dick’s eyes widened. “Right now?” he asked. “I- I have to go change and get ready to take coats-”

Rosa winked at him. “You’re not going to be taking coats tonight, Dickie,” she said. “Just go. You’ll understand!”

Dick had no choice but to follow Rosa’s instructions, despite having no idea what was going on.

He hurried to her room, which was right next to his. He stepped inside and quickly shut the door behind him. Then, he gasped. On her bed was a nicely pressed suit, in his size. A beautiful blue and black masquerade mask lay next to it.

Under the mask, a note: _I’ve seen how much you’ve always wanted to attend these parties. You deserve to experience a little taste of Gotham’s elite, Dick. Have fun tonight. Don’t let Mr. Pennyworth catch you._

~

Dick slipped into the busy ballroom without anyone noticing his strange arrival. The suit fit him quite well. It was not designed for him, but it was still very flattering on him. He had no idea where Rosa had gotten it, but he was beyond thankful.

Dick mingled for a couple of minutes. Then, he snagged a wineglass from a passing butler. The butler did not even spare Dick a glance. A giggle bubbled up from his throat. Dick sipped the expensive wine, tasting it. Then, he drank the whole flute in one gulp, set the glass on another passing tray and held his hand out to the first girl he saw.

“Good evening,” Dick said with a charming smile. “Care for a dance, miss?”

The girl glanced to her left and right. Then, she beamed. “Sure!” she said, taking his hand.

Dick led her out onto the dance floor, and started leading like it was second nature. And it kind of was. He learned by observation, and Dick had a natural grace, so dance just spoke to him.

They barely got through one song before someone cut in to take his partner. So Dick turned and took someone else’s partner. And like that, Dick switched to partner after partner.

Within an hour, people were clamoring for the “handsome man with the electric blue mask” to dance with them – men and women alike.

Suddenly, Dick found himself face to face with Jason Todd himself. He recognized the burgundy cloth. He had been right. Jason looked dashing, even with his mask.

“Well, hello there,” Jason said with a smirk. “I didn’t think I’d end up dancing with the man of the night tonight.”

Dick blushed under his mask. He laughed, managing not to miss a step as he allowed Jason to lead the dance. “I’m hardly _the_ man of the night,” he said. “That’s the birthday boy.”

Jason laughed. “No, he’s getting nowhere as much attention as you are, mister.” Jason spun Dick out, then spun him back.

“How would you know?” Dick could not help but tease. “Unless _you _are him?”

Jason laughed so genuinely, Dick thought he had really been mistaken. “Me?” Jason asked. “Nah,” he said. “I’m just another mystery guy hoping for a dance with you.” He winked at Dick, making Dick’s heart pound a little faster.

This was the most words Dick had ever exchanged with Jason. But it seemed like it was not fated to last.

Then, from behind Jason, a girl cleared her throat. “May I cut in?” she asked, with the obvious intent of taking Dick for a dance.

Jason spun them out of her path. “No,” he said. “I’m not done with him yet.”

Dick could not help but choke out a laugh. “That- That wasn’t very nice!”

“What?” Jason asked with a sly smile. “She asked, and I said no. She should learn to be more assertive if she wants something. Besides, I was in the middle of a conversation with Blue Bird.”

“Blue Bird?” Dick asked, arching his eyebrows.

“That’s what people are calling you. Apparently you float around the dance floor like a bird and your mask stands out quite a bit. Hence, Blue Bird.”

“Right,” Dick chuckled. “Well, thanks, I’m… flattered?”

They danced through another song, exchanging easy conversation. Dick almost forgot that he was dancing with Jason – hot, sexy Jason that Dick may or may not have been crushing on for a while now.

Twice more, people asked to cut in, and Jason denied their requests before Dick could say anything.

Each time, Dick laughed, and his heart fluttered. They danced for a total of three and a half songs.

“Ahem!”

Jason looked at the person who spoke, someone behind Dick. “Yes?” he asked boredly.

“You can’t just monopolize him, you know,” the girl said. “I heard some people are thinking of teaming up to drag you away from Mr. Blue.”

Jason rolled his eyes. “They can try,” he said. “Blue Bird is mine.” With that, he pulled Dick in until they were dancing chest to chest. Dick’s face was burning red now.

“Jay-”

“Shhh,” Jason whispered. “No names, Babs.” He sent her a wink.

The girl, Babs, probably Barbara Gordon, who came by the Manor often and was one of Jason’s best friends, continued to talk to Jason while Jason danced with Dick.

Dick opened his eyes and immediately, he stiffened.

From all the way across the ballroom, along the edge of the room, Alfred Pennyworth stood there, arms crossed, frown etched deep in his face, and he was staring right at Dick.

And in the moment, Dick knew that he knew.

“Blue, you okay?” Jason asked.

Dick stepped back, his heart racing. “I- yeah,” he said. “I, um, listen, thanks for everything, but I, uh, I gotta go.”

Jason frowned. “But it’s only ten PM.”

Dick shook his head. “Yeah, I- sorry. I don’t feel good. Happy birthday.”

With that, he turned and started rushing through the throng of dancers. Jason ran after him. “Hey!” Jason yelled.

Dick manage to burst out of the ballroom, into the less crowded hallways. He ran towards the nearest exit, the door leading to the gardens.

Dick burst out into the night, his breathing loud in his ears as he ran. Jason was still chasing behind him.

“You get your ass back here, Blue!” Jason yelled. “I _really _don’t want to have to end up pulling a Cinderella move to find you tomorrow morning!” The distance between them lengthened. “At least give me your name to make it easier!”

Suddenly, out of nowhere, there was a whizzing sound. Something thumped against the tree to Dick’s left, and then he went down, tripping over an invisible line.

Dick cried out as he landed on the cobblestone path hard. His palms were skinned against the stone, and he could see a bit of blood. He hissed as he sat up, groaning quietly when he saw Jason running over.

Dick looked to the tree, and saw an arrow deeply embedded in the trunk, a black rope connected to it.

Damian Wayne sat on the roof with his crossbow, smirking like the cat that caught the canary. Or the brat that got the Blue Bird.

“Hey, hey, are you okay?” Jason asked, kneeling down next to Dick. “Ouch,” he said, taking Dick’s hands in his own. “That’s gotta hurt. I’m sorry about that. I swear I didn’t know he was going to do that.”

Dick looked up to see that Jason had lifted his mask over his head. Jason smiled at him softly.

“Hey,” Jason said.

Dick blinked at him in wonder, his own mask slightly crooked from his fall. “Hi,” he breathed.

Just then, Damian appeared as well, setting his crossbow on the ground. He frowned at Dick. “Why were you running?” he demanded. “Did you steal something?”

Jason sighed. “Damian, he didn’t _steal _anything-”

Unconvinced, Damian reached forward and yanked Dick’s mask off.

“Oh,” Damian said. “You’re that butler. Hm, and I thought I caught a thief.”

“I- I’m sorry,” Dick stammered, looking at Jason. “I didn’t mean to crash your party, I promise. I just really wanted to see what it would be like to attend a party, and I didn’t mean to make such a spectacle, and-”

“What’s your name?” Jason asked, his eyes wide.

Dick winced. “Dick Grayson,” he mumbled. After a second, he asked, “Are you going to tell Mr. Pennyworth on me?”

Jason did not respond. “Not exactly,” he decided.

“But he crashed your party, Todd!” Damian said.

Jason threw Damian a dirty look. “And you nearly shot him, so I think you’re even. C’mon, Dick.” Jason pulled Dick to his feet. He had a comfortably firm grip on Dick’s wrist as he started to pull them back to the Manor.

All the way back to the Manor, Dick mentally prepared himself for Alfred to tell him he was fired, effective immediately.

“Alfred?” Jason asked, waving down the man in the hallway.

The head of staff walked towards them, sparing Dick only a brief glance.

“Yes, Master Jason?” Alfred asked.

“Can you clean up and wrap up Dick’s hands?” Jason asked, showing Dick’s palms to the man. “I have to get back to my party.”

Alfred gave Dick a critical look. “Of course, Master Jason.”

Jason gave Dick a reassuring smile and a slight squeeze of his wrist before he turned and headed back to the ballroom. Alfred also turned and started won the hall in the opposite direction. Dick had no choice but to follow.

Alfred led him to the library, somehow snagging a first aid kit on the way. “Sit, Mr. Grayson.”

Dick sat down on one of the couches. Alfred silently cleaned and wrapped up Dick’s hands. After that was done, Dick knew it was it.

“Take that suit off,” Alfred said, his disapproving frown never wavering. Dick stripped off the wrinkled and dirty suit and stood shivering in only his boxers. Alfred collected the clothes and handed them through the door to someone else who took it. Then, he took a folded stack of clothes and handed it to Dick. “Get dressed.”

Dick unfolded the clothes, his eyes widening comically when he saw it was another suit.

“Th-This, Mr. Pennyworth?” Dick asked, staring at the rich, blue cloth.

Alfred nodded. “Quickly, Mr. Grayson.”

So Dick got dressed in the suit, and he found that it was an even better fit than his previous one. But still, his heart sank knowing that this was a good-bye present of some sort. At least he would not be kicked out naked.

Just then, Alfred handed him the blue and black masquerade mask. “Enjoy the party, Mr. Grayson.”

Dick stared at him in disbelief. “I- You’re not going to fire me?”

Alfred smiled. Actually _smiled _at Dick. “No,” he said. “You should hurry, before Master Jason gets bored and turns in for the night.”

Dick gasped and took the mask. “_Thank you, _Mr. Pennyworth!”

He ran out of the library without a second thought, half afraid that Alfred would change his mind.

The party goers parted for him when he reentered the ballroom. A hush fell over the people, and Dick could not help but smile.

From across the room, Dick saw Jason stand. Then, he walked through the crowd as quickly as possible, and before Dick knew it, they were standing across from each other.

“You’re back,” Jason said.

“I- yeah,” Dick said. “Mr. Pennyworth let me.”

Jason grinned. “Fuck yes, bless you, Alfie.”

Dick laughed in confusion.

Jason held out his hand. “Mr. Dick, Blue Bird, may I have this dance? And every dance for the rest of the night?”

“The rest of the night?” Dick asked, even as he accepted Jason’s hand. “That’s asking quite a bit.”

“It is my birthday,” Jason said with a smirk. He turned and started leading them towards the center of the dance floor. The other people started mingling amongst themselves again.

“Hm,” Dick said as they turned to face each other again. “I suppose I can make that exception.”

~

**Present Day**

Dick cracks his eyes open to warm sunlight and steady, labored breathing. He feels around the right side of the bed to find it empty.

With a groan, he rubs his eyes and slowly pushes himself up.

“It’s 6 AM, Jay,” Dick says, shaking his head at his fiancé, who is doing pushups on the floor at the foot of their bed, wearing nothing but grey sweatpants.

“Ninety-nine, a hundred!” Jason stands up and smiles at Dick. “G’morning, babe.”

Dick rolls his eyes. “You did not do a hundred,” he says with a laugh.

“I did too!” Jason protests with a smile. “Slept through the first ninety of them. I’ll do ‘em again if you’re so skeptical.” He leans down and pecks Dick’s lips.

Dick winkles his nose and shakes his head. “Nah,” he says. “I can smell your BO. Go take a shower, stinky.”

Jason laughs. “And you, you need to go find Rosa and wake her up. Make sure she hasn’t forgotten that the wedding is today.”

Dick laughs too. “She has _not _forgotten that the wedding is today. She may be getting forgetful, but she’s been talking about our wedding since we started dating some five years ago.”

“Just _go, _let her fuss over you. Alfred will be here in a minute to fuss over me,” Jason grins. “He’ll be pissed to find you here.”

“Aww, he won’t,” Dick says, even as he slips out of their warm bed. “I’m marrying his favorite,” he teases as he grabs a bathrobe and ties it over his naked body. “See you in a few hours?”

“See you in a few hours, Dickie,” Jason says, his blue eyes twinkling.

**Author's Note:**

> I spontaneously had this idea, quickly sketched it out by hand while in class, and here's what we have now. I hope you guys liked it! <3


End file.
